Bella's return
by Dadat2
Summary: Six years after DH, Neville still has nightmares about the final battle and his fight with Bellatrix Lestrange, -not in the book- but are they just nightmares?
1. Chapter 1

**Bella's Return**

Chapter One

"**They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death?"**

He woke up with a terrible headache, which wasn't really remarkable, considering how many times he had had that before, of course. But this time, it seemed worse, and the shimmering remainders of the nightmare kept haunting him. It was about a witch, a witch that he knew all too well. It had been six years since he had last seen her, since he had thought her dead forever. But a day later he had woken up with a headache that was worse than any he had ever had before. And he had a feeling that it was not over, that one had survived that should not have. Bellatrix Lestrange.

The dream wasn't very difficult to understand, he saw her before his, drained in blood and laughing like mad. Then she looked at him and said: "I'm coming back." and he woke up with a high heartbeat rate and an enormous headache. Every night. For six years. As I said, it wasn't really remarkable… anymore.

These six years, he had been occupied with tracing up the remaining Dead-Eaters, rounding them up and getting them judged. It had been a hard, but satisfying job. But his personal targets, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, still eluded him. They had been the other torturers of his parents, and maybe the nightmares would stop when he had dealt with them. Today, the feeling of dread was accompanied by a foreboding feeling, and he hoped he could prove that feeling wrong. He got up, showered, made breakfast and Apparated to the Ministry. So far, everything was fine. That changed when he got to the Auror Department. Harry, his 'superior', (though it was more like friendship, because he had been his mate for thirteen years) came to his office, looking like he hadn't slept all week (basically because he hadn't) and very agitated.

"Hey Harry, what are the plans for today?" Neville asked.

"Seems like there are some new cases of Muggle-bullying, we've had a constant stream of injured Muggles since 8 P.M., every time we got to the scene of the crime, they'd disappeared, and after some time, we heard about another offense on the other side of the country. I've never Apparated that much on a single day before. We've had Brighton, Eastborne, London, Lincoln, Aylesbury, Trowbridge, Royston, Ipswich and some town in Ireland with a non-pronounceable name."

"Mate, you better get some sleep, with those hours you've been doing, you've worked non-stop from Monday to Wednesday, and then you claim to have slept the night to Thursday, though Ginny says she woke up at 3 A.M. and found you on your desk, working on those strategies about two versus three duels."

"How did she know?" Harry asked surprised.

"She didn't, I lured you out," Neville laughed, "but back to business, now we're Friday, and you look like a zombie. You won't be much use to us if your reflexes are like mine in first year."

Now Harry looked offended: "I really don't like being talked to like that, Longbottom! I'm still your superior."

"Sure you are, Harry, and now get to bed, Mr. Superior."

After that was settled (Harry had gone home, being glad that he was off duty for once, though he didn't want to admit it), Neville went to Ron's office, told him he (Ron, that is) was in charge, and asked him where the last crime had happened.

Arriving on the crime scene in a group (consisting of two Obliviators, Neville and another Auror), he noticed what was wrong immediately. He almost fell half a meter into the two meter diameter crater in the small, dark alley he had just appeared in. The rest of the alley was filled with other, smaller craters and two men who were looking very scared, and had a Full-Body-Bind on them. On some places, the blasts had ripped through cloth and skin alike, and they didn't look like they would survive if they went to a Muggle hospital. Neville cast some Muggle Repelling curses around the alley, and the Obliviators questioned and then Obliviated the Muggle police-men who had arrived on the scene some minutes earlier. Luckily, they had arrived quite soon, and they could Obliviate all the persons who had seen the incident rather fast. In the meantime, Neville inspected the scene. He had experienced that, in cases like these, details could be very important. It wasn't very likely that a wizard would leave his wand behind if he'd just attacked someone, but tiny details, like a footprint. That was the way they had found out about the last crimes of the Carrows, as they both had O-shaped legs. Finding them proved more difficult, of course. He didn't have to search for long. It was a footprint, a piece of cloth nor a piece of hair. It was a piece of paper, about 4 square millimeters large. Neville cast Engorgio on it until it was fairly well-readable.

**Hey Nev,**

**Missed me? I'll start making your life very difficult from now on, so prepare yourself, I don't like killing an easy prey.**

**Yours sincerely, faithfully and truly, Bella L.**

**P.S. You might recognize the other spell I used on them, I hope they aren't too mad to question.**

**A.N. Okay, so this my first ever fanfic story, be good and tell me all the stuff I messed up, please?**

**As long as you don't insult me for personal stuff, everything is allowed.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Neville was astonished. His greatest fear had become reality. But how? Molly Weasley had killed her, she was dead_, _or wasn't she? Suddenly, Voldemort's story came into his mind. Did she evade death the same way her master did? He had to go to Harry_. No, not Harry, he needs rest_. Then who? _Ron? _No, not Ron, Hermione, she was the smart one. He asked Justin, the other Auror, to try and find some more evidence, though he sincerely doubted there would be any. Bellatrix was a professional. Then he went back to the Ministry, to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Neville knocked on the door.

"Come in, Neville." How did she know that?

Neville came in (the office was full of paperwork, the biggest heap lying on the ground left of Hermione's desk, coming to the same level) and came right down to the subject: "We're in trouble."

Hermione listened to Neville's story, and then sat pensive for a moment.

Then, she talked: "This isn't good, we don't know enough about her to know what she would choose as Horcruxes. We don't really know anything about her, except about her family. She was very proud that she was 'Pure-blood', could she have made an heirloom of hers into a Horcrux? And how many would she have made? She didn't look as inhumane as Tom Riddle looked."

"So what we need, is someone that knows Bellatrix? How about the Malfoys?"

A large manor at the end of a straight drive, Malfoy Manor was the home of one of the richest Wizarding families in Great Britain, and Neville despised it. It was a sign of the Magical Aristocracy that thought themselves above anyone else, especially above non-Purebloods. Though they had switched sides at the Battle of Hogwarts, they hadn't changed their beliefs. They still treated other people like vermin. And now Neville had to act good to them, to get some information out of them.

He walked through the drive, to the gate. He just waited, they knew he was there. After some time, the gate grunted: "What is your exact point and purpose here, Auror?"

"I am here regarding the case against your wife's brothers-in-law, Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange."

The gate roared "Enter!" and opened. Apparently the Malfoys liked giving orders.

Neville walked on to the front door, which opened on his nearing. The hall was a bit over-decorated, to Neville's taste. Draco Malfoy stood in the hallway, looking like he had always looked, like Neville was something that was ruining the air around him, but it was less visible than in their school days. "Follow me, Auror Longbottom." Somehow, Draco could make a normal title into an insult, not to mention the tone he always gave to "Longbottow". Neville followed Draco to the lounge, where Lucius and Narcissa were waiting for him. Through growing up, Draco had grown even more resemblance to his parents.

"Welcome," Lucius said, obviously not meaning it, "have a seat."

Neville sat down and started: "It is believed that Rodolphus can be found through the stuff that belonged to him and Bellatrix, is there a chamber in here that belongs to her?"

"Yes, but it might prove difficult to open that door, we tried to open it after … well, the thing is, the door is vanished."

"Vanished? How? Please point me the place where it 'used to be' then."

Neville followed the Malfoys up the stairs of one of the towers, suddenly, the stairs just stopped. The wall in front of them looked like all the other walls in the manor, though this one was not decorated. Neville started doing some spells that normally show hidden things, but nothing happened. Neville became frustrated. Nothing he tried had any effect. "You tried all this yourself too, I imagine."

Malfoy (Junior) sneered: "What do you takes us for, Squibs? Of course we did."

"Did you try blasting it?" Neville asked.

"Yes, we did. The House-Elf was busy three hours to repair the staircase and the left wall, but it didn't have a scratch, as you see. Disapparating doesn't work either."

"I think I need back-up."

"Do I really have to go there?"

"I know it's hard, Hermione, but you're the smartest person I know."

"Alright, but you owe me something."

"I'll remember it."

"I will make sure that you do."

Hermione was still in the same office, the majority of the paperwork now on her right side, packed up in orderly packages.

"You've been busy."

"Yes, that's the stuff Ron writes about the cases, it's terrible, I've been sorting them and filling up the gaps. His field work may be almost as good as yours and Harry's, but his order!" She shivered.

Hermione stood before the wall, thinking, for ten minutes, than she did some non-verbal spells, and then asked Lucius: "You have a House-Elf, don't you?"

"We have more than one, as many decent Pureblood families, but what is your point?"

"Could you get one please?"

"Tilly, come here!" Lucius yelled.

A pop sounded, and a very shabby looking House-Elf with many bruises appeared.

"Do what 'she' says!" Lucius growled (wanting the girl out of his house as soon as possible).

"Hello Tilly, could you try to Apparate to the Chamber in front of us, please, and come back as fast as possible then?"

Another pop sounded and Tilly was gone.

Tilly returned straight away, looking white as a blanket.

"What did you see?" Lucius and Hermione said at the same time, Lucius sounding eager and Hermione compassionate.

"There is pain machines there, Miss, and … and …"

"Can you guide me through?"

"Tilly thinks so, Miss."

"I shall go too; I have the right to know." Lucius said. They Disapparated and what Hermione saw there, was shocking. She was glad Bella had just tortured her with her knife, and didn't take her up there.

The place was magically expanded and filled with torture machines, and the walls were stained with blood. Even Lucius looked disgusted. Hermione told Tilly to bring the others. Once they were there, Neville started looking for clues, other than the obvious. The piece paper hadn't been shrunk this time, but it made them sick. It was written in blood.

**Oh Dear, now you're on my tail, aren't you?**

**My dear family members seem to have betrayed me, no matter, they'll be dealt with.**

**So now you know of this hide-out, it may be better to go back home, to Granny.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Augusta Longbottom was reading in her living room, but she wasn't really fixed on her lecture. Something was troubling her, a foreboding feeling, as if someone was about to attack her. But that wasn't very likely, with most Death-Eaters dead or imprisoned, there weren't many people that would want to attack her. When she heard a pop, however, she jumped out of her chair and knocked it over in the process. Then she looked at the intruder. "Neville?" she almost yelled, "What are you doing, coming into the house uninvited? Where are your manners?"

"Oh, sorry Gran, I just came in here to murder you."

The Delusion Charm lifted, and Augusta caught a glimpse of long black hair before an all-consuming pain came over her. Then, the pain suddenly disappeared, leaving an exhausted Augusta Longbottom breathing heavily. "Had enough, sweetie?"

"What do you want from me?" Augusta asked, mostly to win some time.

"I want you to be my next message to my target."

"What do I have to say?"

"Oh, you don't have to say anything."

Augusta leaped to the left behind the bench, just as a green bolt struck the place she had been occupying.

"Aguamenti Extrema!" A huge stream of water struck Bellatrix, throwing her to the wall, but she was back on her feet straight away.

"That wasn't smart," Bella said, and the water reformed into a wall before her, and rushed toward her. Augusta wasn't even knocked over, but she was soaking wet.

"Do you want me to catch a cold, witch?"

"Not exactly. Subgredior Electricitas."

"No!"

Neville had arrived on the scene at the very moment a huge explosion ripped off the flank of his home for the last twenty-three years. Even worse, of course, was the realization that his Gran, the immovable rock in his life since the day he had become as good as an orphan, was gone. He didn't even have to go in to know that. He felt it in his heart.

Hermione arrived a minute later, though it seemed like an age. Neville just sat there on his knees, staring blindly at the hole in his heart. Hermione tried to comfort him, but what comfort could she give? 'It will all be alright' had never seemed a more useless phrase. She sent a message to Ron, saying what had happened, by the Ministry Bloc Notes field agents used to keep in contact with the Headquarters, and then she sent her Patronus to the one she was almost sure that could help, Hannah Abbot. Hannah and Neville had started their relationship somewhere in sixth year, but it was only widely known in mid-Seventh year. They had a very strong bond, mainly because they both found that the physical side of their relationship was of less importance. People who judge on looks seem to change according to the wind. They had talked a lot over the last few years. They also shared a love for plants, though that is of less importance here. Then, Hermione started extinguishing.

When Hannah arrived, she immediately sat down and put her arm around his shoulder. He turned and started crying. "I'm taking him somewhere else for now, to calm down and to process his loss," she whispered to Hermione, who nodded. When Ron arrived with the Investigation Team, they immediately went to extinguish the few flames that were left after Hermione's work.

When Ron entered the living room, it was apparent that few things were still intact. He tried to start reconstructing the events. Two footsteps were visible on the ground just before him. A chair lay toppled on the floor, and next to the opposite couch…

"Man, that's just sick."

A pink ribbon had been wrapped around what was left of Augusta Longbottom, with a letter attached to it.

**Oh dear,**

**What did I tell you? If you had been a teensy bit earlier, this wouldn't have happened.**

**And next time, open your letters yourself, you don't want your girl to find out about our correspondence, do you?**

**Till next time, your dearest Bella.**

Ron immediately decided that Neville didn't need to know the exact phrasing of this letter.

"Hermione, you have to see this."

Hermione read the letter and gasped: "Hannah is her next target."

Neville was at the safest place in the world, Hogwarts. But still Hannah was worried. Bellatrix _was _Voldemort's strongest servant. And these days, Hogwarts' security wasn't as it had been in the old days, and without Dumbledore… But having all those teachers together was a comfort; they were pretty good at what they did.

The staff was still the same as it had been in the days of their last year, except for the Defense, Muggle Studies and Potions teachers.

Slughorn had retired the moment the war was over, to live from the donations of his former students. In his place was Michael Corner, who had been somewhat the brain of the DA in Seventh Year, he was very clever, but not the best person to live with.

In the post of Defense against the Dark Arts was Professor Maurras, a very talented duelist, though he was not accustomed to open warfare.

The Muggle Studies teacher was Arthur Weasley, who found that a way to earn more and still work on his obsession. His wife was somewhat less enthusiastic.

Altogether, they would probably be able to defeat Bellatrix, but she would just come back. At the moment, they were at Professor Sprout's office. She liked to be outside the castle as much as possible, but for Neville, she had made an exception.

"Why? Why is she doing this to me? Hasn't she done enough already? Why Gran? Can't she just attack me and be done with it?"

"Be strong, Neville, she is trying to break you, she's toying with you, you have to show that you are stronger than her."

"But am I? I feel so distraught, so hopeless. She has been several steps ahead of me all along; she has been planning this all this time. Who else is she going to attack that I love?"

"They'll catch her, once Harry, Hermione and Ron are on to it and you're there to help them, she can't stand up to you."

"I hope so."

**A.N. This chapter had some heavy parts, I'm wondering if I shouldn't put the rating on M? What say you?**

**Oh, and I suck at feelings, as you might notice. Just think in your mind of someone comforting you about the loss of someone very dear to you who has been murdered, and replace that (in your mind) with the piece I've written. Just remember the pieces: "She's trying to break you", "who else" and "They'll catch her".**


End file.
